Cameroon
Back To Main Page 'Squad' Goalkeepers: Charles Itandje (Konyaspor), Sammy Ndjock (Fetihespor), Loic Feudjou (Coton Sport) Defenders: Allan Nyom (Granada), Dany Nounkeu (Besiktas), Cedric Djeugoue (Coton Sport), Aurelien Chedjou (Galatasaray), Nicolas Nkoulou (Marseille), Henri Bedimo (Lyon), Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham Hotspur) Midfielders: Eyong Enoh (Antalyaspor), Jean Makoun (Rennes), Joel Matip (Schalke), Stephane Mbia (QPR), Landry Nguemo (Bordeaux), Alex Song (Barcelona), Edgar Salli (Lens) Forwards: Samuel Eto'o (unattached), Eric Choupo Moting (Mainz), Benjamin Moukandjo (Nancy), Vincent Aboubakar (Lorient), Pierre Webo (Fenerbahce), Fabrice Olinga (Zulte-Waregem). 'Team Profile' Volker Finke's Cameroon can mark the end of a tumultuous four-year spell at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Finke was handed his first international job in May last year and will be keen to bring some positivity back to the country's football fans, after what has been a difficult few years. While Cameroon have been regulars at the World Cup over recent decades, they have rarely lit up international football's biggest stage, and their showing in South Africa four years ago was the worst they have produced. Since Paul Le Guen's charges were sent packing without securing a point in a group that included the Netherlands, Japan and Denmark, Cameroon have looked to Javier Clemente, Denis Lavagne and Jean-Paul Akono to bring success to the national team. However, under their respective reigns, Cameroon missed out on qualification for the last two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments before Finke arrived to put the finishing touches to a successful World Cup qualification campaign. The 66-year-old German oversaw a comfortable 4-1 aggregate play-off victory over Tunisia to take them to the finals in Brazil - with Cameroon tasting defeat just twice in competitive action since he took over. After being drawn alongside hosts Brazil, Croatia and Mexico in Group A, they were handed a stark reminder of the quality they will face at the finals in March's friendly with Portugal. Having held the hosts at 1-1 for just over an hour in Leiria, Cristiano Ronaldo and his team-mates scored four late goals to run out 5-1 winners and hammer home the size of the task that Cameroon face in negotiating a tricky group. Aside from the halcyon days of Italia '90 and Roger Milla, where Cameroon made the quarter-finals, the Indomitable Lions have fallen at the group stage of every World Cup they have qualified for. However, with Cameroon eager to banish memories of their showing in South Africa and boasting the in-form Samuel Eto'o, eyeing Milla's World Cup goals record for his country, the stage could be set for them to cause an upset. The 33-year-old Chelsea striker Eto'o showed regular glimpses of his best work in the Premier League in the season just gone - leading the line in their title challenge - and is just two goals away from equalling Milla's record of five at World Cup finals. Amid rumours last year of discontent among the squad and a dramatic U-turn over his decision to retire from the international set-up, the country’s leading goalscorer stands on the brink of writing himself into another chapter of their footballing history. However, Finke will also look to the likes of Barcelona's Alex Song, Rennes' Jean Makoun, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting of Mainz and Schalke's Joel Matip to cause their opponents problems. Despite the unquestionable talent he has at his disposal though, Finke recently revealed the task he faces in keeping expectations grounded ahead of their opener against Mexico in Natal on June 13. "The fact that Cameroon is a country where everyone loves football and where everyone remembers that in the 70s, 80s, 90s and right up until 2002 it was one of Africa's footballing heavyweights means that expectations rise very quickly," he told FIFA.com. "The reality is, however, that we're reconstructing and need to build things up again. Qualifying for the World Cup was an important part of that." 'Player Profile (Samuel Eto'o)' Position: Forward Date of Birth: March 10, 1981 Club: Chelsea International Debut: v Costa Rica (March 9, 1997) World Cup Appearances: 7 World Cup Goals: 3 The name of Samuel Eto'o is already etched into the history books as one of the greatest African footballers of all time, and he can further cement his legacy at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The 33-year-old is closing in on Roger Milla's tally of five goals for Cameroon in football's greatest showpiece, a record that has stood since 1994. Milla became something of a cult hero following his outstanding performances at Italia '90, where each of his four goals was followed by his now famous celebration where he danced around the corner flag. Eto'o has thus far netted three times on the biggest stage in international football and has designs on scoring many more after revealing his determination to play in two more World Cup finals as he attempts to surpass Milla's record. The pair have clashed in the past, most notably before the 2010 World Cup, when Milla claimed Eto'o "still hasn't brought anything to our national team". There is apparently no lasting ill-feeling, however, with Eto'o more recently paying tribute to Milla for paving the way for future African footballers like him to become world-wide stars. That is a role that Eto'o has certainly grown into over the past decade and a half. He made his international debut a day before his 16th birthday and, although the marquee moment ended in a humbling 5-0 friendly defeat to Costa Rica, he has gone on to become his country's all-time leading marksman, with more than 50 goals to his name. A four-time winner of the African Footballer of the Year award, Eto'o has also lifted the Africa Cup of Nations on two occasions, in 2000 and 2002. That success has, so far, failed to translate to the World Cup, with Eto'o and Cameroon having not progressed beyond the group stage in each of his three attempts. A solitary appearance at France '98 was followed by his maiden World Cup goal as Cameroon defeated Saudi Arabia 1-0 in Japan and South Korea four years later. Nevertheless, they still missed out on progression from Group E and, having failed to qualify for the 2006 edition in Germany, it was a familiar story four years ago in South Africa as Cameroon wilted and exited the competition with a whimper by failing to take a single point. Eto'o did score in the 2-1 defeats against the Netherlands and Denmark, but afterwards he described the tournament as one of his greatest disappointments. For a long time it looked as if that would mark his last World Cup, too. Last September, he announced he was to retire from international football as reports surfaced of a falling out with coach Volker Finke. The news was met with much disappointment in his homeland, but a month later he reversed the decision and declared himself ready to help his side to qualify for the finals. By beating Tunisia in a play-off they did just that, with a 4-1 second-leg victory proving decisive. The result secured a seventh appearance at the World Cup for Finke's side – and provided Eto'o with the chance to write another memorable chapter in what has been a remarkable News Sources Cameroon FA http://fecafoot-officiel.com/ Cameroon FIFA page http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=cmr/ Cameroon online http://www.cameroononline.org/sports-news/ Cameroon SKY sports page http://www1.skysports.com/FIFA-World-Cup-2014/cameroon BBC Sport Cameroon page http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/cameroon Cameroon post (not sure how often updated) http://www.cameroonpostline.com/Content.aspx?ModuleID=5 Cam news 24 http://www.camnews24.com/fr/sports Africa presse http://www.africapresse.com/category/sports/#sthash.x0d7zA5E.dpbs This has other Cam newspapers, local and regional (ones above are ones I feel are most reliable) http://www.abyznewslinks.com/camer.htm